Electrical Fault Finding in Auckland

What fault finding costs

We quote on facts, not guesses

Before we give you a price, we carry out a proper assessment of your property and how you'll use your electrics. That way you know exactly what you're buying and the total cost, with no surprises. Clear expectations from the outset, start to finish.

The estimates below are for a standard fault-finding visit. The Conduction Company confirms final pricing after a property assessment.

This is The Conduction Company's own Auckland pricing. Most visits cost $220 to $390 including GST, and the repair is charged on top.

Troubleshooting Over the Phone First

A lot can be worked out with you standing at the switchboard. The Conduction Company talks you through it on the first call, gathers as much as it can, and some faults get solved on that call with nobody needing to come out.

RCD Tripping Faults

An RCD is the safety switch that cuts the power when it detects current leaking to earth. When one keeps tripping, The Conduction Company can usually work with you over the phone to find the circuit causing it, so most of the house gets its power back until an electrician arrives.

Saving an After-Hours Call-Out

Getting most of the power back over the phone means the visit can focus on the one circuit at fault. The Conduction Company does this so a client is not paying for an after-hours call-out just to get the lights back on.

Arriving Prepared

The Conduction Company uses what it learns on the call to bring the parts for the most likely causes, so less time goes on finding the fault and more on fixing it.

Methodical Testing on Site

The Conduction Company tests the installation step by step rather than guessing, finds the cause, and fixes it.

Network Faults

Sometimes the fault is not in your house at all. If the call points to the network, The Conduction Company gets the lines company, usually Vector, out first. They own the lines and the equipment on them, and they will either sort it or confirm an electrician is needed. Starting there can save you a call-out fee.

Why does my power keep going out?

In modern homes, The Conduction Company finds that power going out is usually an RCD (safety switch) tripping. An RCD cuts the power when it detects current leaking to earth, which is what AS/NZS 3000, the Wiring Rules, requires it to do. The usual cause is a faulty appliance, or water getting into a circuit. One RCD can cover a single circuit, or half a house, such as two power circuits and a lighting circuit. If you lose power and lights together, it is probably the RCD. It sits in your switchboard with RCD printed on its face.

The first thing The Conduction Company asks you to check: unplug everything from the wall, including appliances that are switched off, then reset the RCD. If it stays on, one of the things you unplugged has the fault. Plug them back in one at a time, and the one that trips it again is the culprit. If the RCD trips again with nothing plugged in, call The Conduction Company, because the fault is somewhere you cannot unplug.

If it is a circuit breaker that keeps switching off while you run heaters, hair dryers, or anything else that makes heat, The Conduction Company finds the circuit is usually overloaded. Too much current is being drawn, and the breaker switches off to stop the cable overheating. That is its job. Run fewer of those appliances at once, and if it still trips, The Conduction Company's fault finding is the next step.

Why does my power keep going on and off?

The Conduction Company first checks whether the whole house is going on and off, or just one appliance.

If the lights and the power points go off and come back on together, with nothing tripped at the switchboard, the fault is upstream of your circuits. In The Conduction Company's experience that means the main switch or the incoming mains, and now and then the network. Network faults are rare, and you are usually told about planned work in your area ahead of time. When the power comes back after planned work it can go on and off briefly, but not over and over. Power that keeps turning on and off usually means something is wrong with your installation.

If one appliance goes on and off, say a TV, and nothing else is affected, that appliance is the likely problem. The Conduction Company sees that often.

When the power points and lights go out at the exact same time, get an electrician to find out why. "There could be a major safety risk," says Jordan Statham, director of The Conduction Company and a registered electrician and electrical inspector. If something in the switchboard has tripped and stays off, start with the RCD check under "Why does my power keep going out?".

Why does my power keep surging?

When clients say their power is surging, The Conduction Company usually finds they mean lights getting brighter and dimmer. That points to the voltage rising and dropping.

Big swings in the voltage from the network are rare, The Conduction Company finds, and the law limits them. Under regulation 28 of the Electricity (Safety) Regulations 2010, the supply to a home must be kept within 10% of the standard voltage, except for momentary fluctuations.

So if several lights or appliances surge at once, The Conduction Company looks for the cause in the property: the main switch or your mains, especially overhead mains. Overhead cables swing in the wind, and over time their connections can work loose. A loose connection makes the voltage rise and drop, which is the surging you see.

If it keeps happening, The Conduction Company recommends getting an electrician to find the cause, to keep you safe. A fault on overhead mains can be a significant danger, so get it checked. The Conduction Company also repairs the overhead power line to your house.

Why does my power keep flickering?

The Conduction Company usually traces flickering to one of three causes. A loose connection, a circuit carrying more than it comfortably should, or a dimmer that does not suit the LED lamps on it. All three look the same from the light switch, so The Conduction Company tests the circuit rather than guessing.

If the lights and the power points flicker on and off together, the fault is more likely upstream of your circuits, in the main switch or the incoming mains: see "Why does my power keep going on and off?" above. A single flickering light can normally wait until morning. A flickering light with a burning smell, scorch marks, or a breaker that keeps tripping is worth calling about straight away.

Why does my power keep tripping out?

A breaker or safety switch (RCD) that keeps tripping has found a fault, The Conduction Company finds. The Conduction Company sees an overloaded circuit most often: too many appliances on one circuit draw more current than its breaker is rated for. An RCD trips when it detects current leaking to earth, often from a faulty appliance, and the unplug-and-reset check under "Why does my power keep going out?" finds which one.

"When a breaker keeps tripping, the instinct is to keep flicking it back on. Don't. It has found a fault and it is protecting you," says Jordan Statham, director of The Conduction Company. Its guide to why a circuit breaker keeps tripping covers the six common causes.

How do I find an electrical fault in my house?

Start at the switchboard, and call The Conduction Company before you go further. Most faults show up as something that has tripped, so check which switch is off. A circuit breaker that trips while heaters or hair dryers run usually means an overloaded circuit. An RCD (safety switch) that trips usually points to a faulty appliance, or water in a circuit, and the unplug-and-reset check under "Why does my power keep going out?" finds which appliance it is.

If the switchboard checks do not find it, the fault is in the wiring or a fitting, and that needs an electrician to test. The Conduction Company talks you through the switchboard checks on the first call, then tests the installation step by step on site rather than guessing. Faults that come and go are the hardest to find, because they may not show while the electrician is testing. Then The Conduction Company works through the most common weak points first, and explains what it suspects before going further.

Why choose The Conduction Company?

Help Before Anyone Drives Anywhere

The Conduction Company starts with a phone call, which can solve the problem, restore most of the power, or point to the network before a visit is booked.

Registered Electricians Who Test, Not Guess

The Conduction Company uses registered electricians who test the installation methodically and fix the cause, not just the part that failed last.

Lifetime Workmanship Guarantee

The Conduction Company backs its workmanship for life. Any replacement parts carry their manufacturer's warranty, which is a separate thing.

600+ Five Star Google Reviews

Auckland clients have left The Conduction Company more than 600 Google reviews at a 5.0 rating. We are Master Electricians members and Mastercraft Electrical licensees for Auckland Central West.

Related Services

• Emergency electrician
• Switchboard upgrades
• Inspection and certification